Chapter 5

The next morning, Mia woke up before her alarm even went off.

When I came downstairs, she was already dressed in her athletic outfit, sitting at the dining table double-checking her backpack.

Water bottle, towel, Band-Aids, and that tiny box holding the matching bracelets.

She opened the box, snapped it shut, opened it, and shut it again.

“Mom,” she asked in a small voice, “do you think Dad will like the coffee-brown one?”

I leaned over and straightened her crooked baseball cap. “If you like it, I’m sure he’ll love it.”

Mia nodded solemnly, her mood visibly soaring.

When Kane finally strolled downstairs, he was decked out in full athletic gear, his hair styled to perfection.

Mia ran over and threw her arms around him.

“Dad, you look so ready!”

Kane patted her back. “When have I ever let you down on a promise?”

My eyes snagged on a registration pass sticking out of his jacket pocket.

Printed in bold letters:

Double Kayak Sprint Division

I reached out and plucked the card straight from his pocket.

“What’s this?”

Mia was still hugging his waist, completely oblivious.

The confident smile on Kane’s face flickered.

“Lexi entered the sprint division,” he said casually. “She needs an adult partner.”

“So you’re not here to join Mia in the family challenge,” I said, my voice dropping. “You came for Lexi’s race and just dragged Mia along as an afterthought.”

“Ellie, don’t start this again.”

“You said yesterday you wanted us to be a real family.”

“The events are at the exact same park,” Kane lowered his voice, irritation bleeding through. “I’ll run the sprint with Lexi first, then come back and join you guys. What’s the big deal?”

I stared him down.

“The sprint starts at nine. The family challenge starts at nine.”

Kane froze.

Mia finally let go of him and looked back and forth between us.

“Dad... you can’t race with us?”

Kane dropped to one knee, putting on his best patient, understanding father routine.

“Sweetheart, Lexi already signed up. She can’t compete by herself.”

“But ours is the family challenge,” Mia whispered.

“You have your Mom.”

“Doesn’t Lexi have her mom?”

Kane’s composure cracked.

“Mia, you can’t expect the entire world to revolve around you all the time. Lexi trained really hard for this race.”

Mia lowered her head.

“I trained hard too...”

“Then go do it with your Mom,” Kane snapped, standing back up. “Don’t ruin everyone’s morning over this.”

I reached out and pulled Mia against my side.

“She’s not asking the world to revolve around her,” I said coldly. “She just made the mistake of believing you.”

Kane turned on me, his eyes turning hard as flint.

“I agreed to come, and now you’re trying to force me to ditch Lexi? Ellie, why do you constantly pit these two girls against each other?”

“I’m not pitting them against each other,” I met his glare head-on. “You’re the one who rejects Mia every single time Lexi snaps her fingers.”

Right on cue, Kane’s phone vibrated.

Lexi’s excited voice blared from the speaker.

“Uncle Kane! I’m at the docks already! Hurry up! All the other kids have their partners!”

“My parents aren't good at this stuff. I need you if I'm gonna win!”

Kane’s strict demeanor instantly melted into warmth.

“Don’t worry, kiddo. I’m almost there.”

He hung up, grabbed his car keys, and headed straight for the door.

“Dad!” Mia called out suddenly, stepping forward and holding out the coffee-brown bracelet in both hands.

“Can you put this on first? Please?”

Kane glanced out the front door, then at the clock on his phone.

“I’ll put it on when we get there.”

“But it’s our family bracelet...”

“Mia, stop dragging your feet.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Mia stood frozen in the hallway, her arms extended into empty air.

I stepped closer to take the bracelet from her trembling hands.

Before I could, she pulled her hand back and clutched the bracelet to her chest.

“It’s okay, Mom,” she whispered, forcing a tiny, heartbreaking smile.

“He said he’d put it on when we get there.”

She blinked back her tears, trying her absolute hardest to look brave.

“He’s definitely going to stay with us today.”